Recruiting Guidelines For Collegiate Athletics

NCAA - NATIONAL COLLEGIATE ATHLETIC ASSOCIATION

RECRUITING GUIDELINES AND RULES

How many NCAA Divisions are there? There are three (3) Divisions in the NCAA. Division I and II colleges offer athletic

scholarships, division III colleges cannot offer scholarships based on athletic ability but

can and do offer other forms of financial aid.

What is the NCAA Clearinghouse/ Eligibility Center? To participate in NCAA Division 1 and 2 athletics as a freshman you must meet

minimum academic requirements and register with the NCAA Clearinghouse/ Eligibility

Center.

What is the NCAA Letter of Intent? This is a document that sets out your agreement or "intent" to attend the college for which

you have signed for 1 academic year in exchange for college financial aid, including an

athletic scholarship. The NCAA letter of intent or NLI is for Division 1 and 2 athletes.

Your first step towards an athletic scholarship is registering with the NCAA

clearinghouse/eligibility center

The NCAA Clearinghouse is now called the NCAA Eligibility Center

NCAA Eligibility Center If you want to participate in Division I or II athletics as a freshman, you must first

register and be certified by the NCAA Initial-Eligibility Clearinghouse. Refer to the

NCAA Academic Eligibility section to determine the initial-eligibility standards that

apply to you. If you don't register you will not be eligible to play or practice during your

freshman year.

Athletes who want to compete at college level will register at www.eligibilitycenter.org.

Ask the college counselor/NCAA liaison to send an official transcript to the eligibility

center after completing junior year.

Registration is a one-time fee of $60 .

Athletes basically have 5 "College years" to complete 4 years of athletic eligibility

Students who do not meet the minimum academic requirements or fail to register with the

NCAA Clearinghouse will almost certainly lose one of those years.

Initial Eligibility Requirements The NCAA Clearinghouse will verify your eligibility.

Students must graduate from High School and have a grade point average {GPA} of 2.00

in a core curriculum of 16 academic subjects for Division I and 14 for division II.

Beginning Aug.1, 2013 Div. II will require 16 core courses.

2 | P a g e

It is recommended that student athletes should register with the NCAA

clearinghouse/eligibility center at the start of their junior year in high school, There is no

actual registration deadline, but you must be cleared by the eligibility center before you

can receive a scholarship or compete in your sport.

You must meet certain academic requirements before you can become eligible to receive

an athletic scholarship.

Good grades are vitally important to you the athlete. The coach needs to know that you

will perform well academically at college. If teams don't meet certain strict guidelines

each year then the NCAA will reduce the number of scholarships that school can offer. If

your academic standing is high enough before you start college then the school can apply

for you to receive an exempted academic scholarship as well as a partial athletic

scholarship.

SAT/ACT

When you register to take the ACT and/or the SAT make sure to add Eligibility Center

code (9999) as a score recipient.

Recruiting at Tournaments

If you’re at a tournament and the coach does not talk to you don't take it personally. The

National Collegiate Athletic Association has specific recruiting rules that put limits on

communication at tournaments.

A college coach can sit down with a guardian or parent at a competition site. This is

counted as one of the three in-person off-campus recruiting contacts a coach is permitted.

College coaches cannot have any personal contact with student-athletes during

tournaments. As stated above a simple hello is fine but anything more is not allowed

anything more is considered a contact.

NCAA Recruiting Guidelines

3 | P a g e

Freshman and Sophomore year/Grade 9 & 10

These rules also apply until September 1 of your Junior year/Grade 11

Coaches are allowed to:

Send you athletic or sports camp brochures, NCAA Educational Information and

Questionnaires.

A coach can also accept phone calls from you as long as they are at your expense but

remember that if you leave a message on an answering service the coach is NOT

ALLOWED TO CALL YOU BACK.

Coaches are not allowed to: To call you on the phone.

A coach cannot send you any written recruiting information.

NCAA Recruiting Guidelines, Unofficial Visits:

You can make unofficial visits to a college campus.

It is also permissible for you to receive a maximum of three complimentary tickets to a

college sporting event.

You can talk with college coaches but this must be on campus.

Steps to Achieving Eligibility

Freshmen and Sophomores

• Start planning now!

• Work hard to get the best grades possible.

• Take classes that match your school’s list of approved core courses.

• You can receive your school’s list of approved core courses at

www.eligibilitycenter.org.

A survey by the National Collegiate Scouting Association (NCSA) of more than one

thousand college coaches found that 84 % of all coaches identify prospects during or

before the end of the athlete’s sophomore year.

Junior year/Grade 11

from September 1

College coaches are allowed to send you information about their athletic program and

about their school. This can include: media guides, schedule cards, personalized letters,

photocopies of newspaper clippings and official university admissions and academic

4 | P a g e

publications.

The college coach is now allowed to answer your emails and send emails to you as well.

Basketball – College coaches may call you once per month in April, May & June 1st -20

th

; once

between June 21st – 30th

from July 1

A college coach is only permitted to contact you in person off the college campus only on

or after July 1st when you have completed your junior year of high school. If the coach

meets with you or your parents and says anything to you or them then this is considered a

contact. Anything more than a very basic hello is a contact

College coaches are permitted to make one telephone call each week to you or your

parents. You can call the coach as often as you wish.

Basketball – Coaches may call three times in July after jr. year.

Steps to Achieving Eligibility

Juniors/Grade 11

• At the beginning of your junior year, register at www.eligibilitycenter.org.

• Register to take the ACT, SAT or both and use the Eligibility Center code (9999) as a

score recipient.

• Double check to make sure the courses you have taken match your school’s list of

approved core courses.

• Ask your guidance counselor to send an official transcript to the Eligibility Center after

completing your junior year. If you have attended more than one high school, the

Eligibility Center will need official transcripts from all high schools attended. (The

Eligibility Center does NOT accept faxed transcripts or test scores.)

• Before registration for classes for your senior year, check with your guidance counselor

to determine the amount of core courses that you need to complete your senior year

Most major division 1 prospects will receive offers by the end of their junior year.

An invitation for an official visit is a strong precursor to a scholarship offer.

Senior Year/Grade 12

Limited to one official visit at 5 different schools.

You can make up to five official - expense paid visits to college campuses. The visit to

the campus cannot be longer than forty eight hours in duration. You are not allowed to

have an official visit until after your first day of classes of your senior year.

5 | P a g e

College coaches need to have an official ACT or SAT score and a copy of your official

high school transcript before you can make a visit.

Coaches can make telephone calls and send written correspondence as per the rules for

your junior year. Once per week beginning July 1st.

Coaches may contact you or your parents/legal guardians not more than 3 times during

your senior year.

Basketball – Coaches can make telephone calls and send written correspondence as per

the rules for your junior year. Once per week beginning August 1st. Coaches are allowed

to have off campus contact beginning Sept. 16.

Steps to Achieving Eligibility

Seniors

• Take the SAT and/or ACT again, if necessary. The Eligibility Center will use the best

scores from each section of the ACT or SAT to determine your best cumulative score.

• Continue to take college-prep courses.

• Check the courses you have taken to match your school’s list of approved core courses.

•Review your amateurism responses and request final amateurism certification on or after

April 1 (for fall enrollees) or October 1 (for spring enrollees).

• Continue to work hard to get the best grades possible.

• Graduate on time (in eight academic semesters). If you fall behind, use summer school

sessions before graduation to catch up.

• After graduation, ask your guidance counselor to send your final transcript to the

Eligibility Center with proof of graduation.

One rule of thumb in recruiting is that if an athlete in not offered an official visit. That

athlete will not likely be offered a scholarship.

Division II

2009 - July 31, 2013

If you enroll in a Division II college and want to participate in athletics or receive an

athletic scholarship during your first year, you must:

• Graduate from high school;

• Complete these 14 core courses:

- 3 years of English

- 2 years of math (Algebra 1 or higher)

- 2 years of natural or physical science (including one year of lab science if offered by

your high school)

- 2 additional years of English, math, or natural or physical science

- 2 years of social science

- 3 years of extra core courses (from any category above, or foreign language,

nondoctrina religion or philosophy);

• Earn a 2.000 grade-point average or better in your core courses; and

6 | P a g e

• Earn a combined SAT score of 820 or an ACT sum score of 68.

August 1, 2013, and after

If you enroll in a Division II college on or after August 1, 2013, and want to participate in

athletics or receive an athletic scholarship during your first year, you must:

• Graduate from high school;

• Complete these 16 core courses:

- 3 years of English

- 2 years of math (Algebra 1 or higher)

- 2 years of natural or physical science (including one year of lab science if offered by

your high school)

- 3 additional years of English, math, or natural or physical science

- 2 years of social science

- 4 years of additional core courses (from any category above, or foreign language,

nondoctrinal religion or philosophy);

• Earn a 2.000 grade-point average or better in your core courses; and

• Earn a combined SAT score of 820 or an ACT sum score of 68.

Division II Qualifier

Being a qualifier entitles you to:

• Practice or compete for your college or university during your first year of college;

• Receive an athletic scholarship during your first year of college; and

• Play four seasons in your sport if you maintain your eligibility from year to year.

Division II Partial Qualifier You will be considered a partial qualifier if you do not meet all of the academic

requirements listed above, but you have graduated from high school and meet one of the

following:

• The combined SAT score of 820 or ACT sum score of 68; or

• Completion of the 14 core courses with a 2.000 core-course grade-point average.

As a partial qualifier, you:

• Can practice with your team at its home facility during your first year of college;

• Can receive an athletic scholarship during your first year of college;

• Cannot compete during your first year of college; and

• Can play four seasons in your sport if you maintain your eligibility from year to year.

Division III does not use the Eligibility Center.

Contact your Division III college or university regarding its policies on admission,

financial aid, practice and competition

Recruiting Regulations/Terms

College coaches must follow the rules outlined in this section. You are expected to follow

these rules as well.

Recruiting Terms

7 | P a g e

Contact. A contact occurs any time a coach has any face-to-face contact with you or your

parents off the college's campus and says more than hello. A contact also occurs if a

coach has any contact with you or your parents at your high school or any location where

you are competing or practicing.

Contact period. During this time, a college coach may have inperson contact with you

and/or your parents on or off the college's campus. The coach may also watch you play or

visit your high school. You and your parents may visit a college campus and the coach

may write and telephone you during this period.

Dead period. A college coach may not have any in-person contact with you or your

parents on or off campus at any time during a dead period. The coach may write and

telephone you or

your parents during this time.

Evaluation. An evaluation is an activity by a coach to evaluate your academic or

athletics ability. This would include visiting your high school or watching you practice or

compete.

Evaluation period. During this time, a college coach may watch you play or visit your

high school, but cannot have any in-person conversations with you or your parents off the

college's campus. You and your parents can visit a college campus during this period. A

coach may write and telephone you or your parents during this time.

Official visit. Any visit to a college campus by you and your parents paid for by the

college. The college may pay all or some of the following expenses:

• Your transportation to and from the college;

• Room and meals (three per day) while you are visiting the college; and

• Reasonable entertainment expenses, including three complimentary admissions to a

home athletics contest.

Before a college may invite you on an official visit, you will have to provide the college

with a copy of your high school transcript (Division I only) and SAT, ACT or PLAN

score and register with the Eligibility Center.

Prospective student-athlete. You become a “prospective student-athlete” when:

• You start ninth-grade classes; or

• Before your ninth-grade year, a college gives you, your relatives

or your friends any financial aid or other benefits that the college does not provide to

students generally.

Quiet period. During this time, a college coach may not have any in-person contact with

you or your parents off the college's campus. The coach may not watch you play or visit

your high school during this period. You and your parents may visit a college campus

during this time. A coach may write or telephone you or your parents during this time.

Unofficial visit. Any visit by you and your parents to a college campus paid for by you or

your parents. The only expense you may receive from the college is three complimentary

8 | P a g e

admissions to a home athletics contest. You may make as many unofficial visits as you

like and may take those visits at any time. The only time you cannot talk with a coach

during an unofficial visit is during a dead period.

Verbal commitment. This phrase is used to describe a collegebound student-athlete's

commitment to a school before he or she signs (or is able to sign) a National Letter of

Intent. A collegebound student-athlete can announce a verbal commitment at any time.

While verbal commitments have become very popular for both college-bound student-

athletes and coaches, this "commitment" is NOT binding on either the college-bound

student-athlete or the institution. Only the signing of the National Letter of Intent

accompanied by a financial aid agreement is binding on both parties.

Recruiting Calendars

To see recruiting calendars for all sports, go to NCAA.org.

National Letter of Intent

The National Letter of Intent (NLI) is a voluntary program administered by the Eligibility

Center. By signing an NLI, your son or daughter agrees to attend the institution for one

academic year. In exchange, that institution must provide athletics financial aid for one

academic year. Restrictions are contained in the NLI itself. Read them carefully. These

restrictions may affect your eligibility. If you have questions about the National Letter of

Intent, visit the Web site at www.national-letter.org or call 877/262-1492.

Scholarship Opportunities for Women's Sports

Max. # Per School

Division 1 Division 2

Basketball

13

10

Cross Country

18

12.6

Field Hockey

12

6.3

Golf

6

5.4

Ice hockey

18

18

Lacrosse

12

9.9

Soccer

14

3.9

Softball

12

7.2

Swimming

14

8.1

Tennis

8

6

Track & Field

18

12.6

Volleyball

12

8

9 | P a g e

List of NCAA Sponsored Sports for Women

Fall Sports Spring Sports

Cross Country Golf

Field Hockey Lacrosse

Soccer Rowing

Volleyball Softball

Tennis

Winter Sports Outdoor Track and Field

Basketball Water Polo

Bowling

Fencing Emerging Sports

Gymnastics Equestrian

Ice Hockey Rugby

Ice Hockey Squash

Rifle

Skiing

Swimming and Diving

Indoor Track and Field

Achieving

Steps to Achieving

Tips

Think About What You Want To Study –

You’re being recruited for sports, but you’re attending school - and you’ll carry the

degreee for life. Look for schools that have departments you might want to major in,

with academic resources that are as solid as the school’s sports credentials.

Consider Your Family and Friends –

For a lot of athletes, the support of family and friends at big games and during tough

seasons is a key element of sports success. If you want your parents and siblings to be

able to attend your games, staying close to home might be important.

Think Big -

For others, a college scholarship is a chance to try something – or someplace – you

might never otherwise have considered. Always wanted to go somewhere new? Explore

the possibilities on the other side of the country? Maybe this is your chance, so make sure

you seize it.

10 | P a g e

11 | P a g e

Athlete’s letter of interest

12 | P a g e

Athletic resume

13 | P a g e

Athletic resume

14 | P a g e

15 | P a g e

Thank you note to the coach

16 | P a g e

Making highlight tapes